


Winter Night

by Outerspaceduncegirl



Category: Doctor Who RPF
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-22
Updated: 2014-10-30
Packaged: 2018-02-18 09:56:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,658
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2344250
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Outerspaceduncegirl/pseuds/Outerspaceduncegirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Someone knocked on the door. It was a cold and dark winter night.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Winter Night

**Author's Note:**

> Please let me know what you thought of it :)

Someone knocked on the door. David was half-sleeping and his pudding brain was too slow to react. After a few seconds, the knocks started again. David groaned and opened an eye. The furious bangs woke him up completely. He stood up, staggering and mumbling. He realised he had fell asleep on the couch in front of the TV. The person banged again, louder. Christ, who would come at this time of the night ? It was nearly 2 am ! David walked toward the door.

"Coming, coming. "

He unlocked it, and with a long sigh opened it.  
Behind it was standing Catherine. But not the Catherine he knew. No. Not this funny, happy, brilliant woman who happened to be his best friend. The Catherine in front of him had been crying. She looked exhausted and ready to burst into tears again. 

"Catherine ? What ... what happened ? Come in."

She walked inside, shivering. David closed the door.

"You're freezing. Where's your coat ?"

The woman didn't answer. Instead of that, she threw herself in David's arms. He hugged her back, holding her tight and kissed her on the top of the head. She was shaking. No ... She was crying against his chest. How he hated to see her like that.

"Talk to me Cath."

She reluctantly stepped back and looked down.

"We had a fight" she stammered.

David felt his blood getting cold. The bastard. The bloody bastard. That Twig had managed to make Catherine cry. And he would never forgive him that. The woman was pale and weak. Afraid she might fall down, David gently led her to the couch where he had been sleeping a few minutes ago. Catherine sat, red eyed, her hair hiding half of her face. David sat besides her and softly put a strand behind her ear. He cupped her chin with his hand and looked straight in her eyes. He had no idea how to confort her.

"Don't think of him. He doesn't deserve it right now."

Catherine's big blue eyes thanked him.

" Can ... can I stay tonight ?"

" 'Course. Of course you can Cath. You're always welcome here."

They sat more confortably and, after a moment of hesitation, Catherine rested her head on David's chest, snuggling-up to him. They stayed silent for a couple of minutes and David decided to turn the TV on. They weren't really watching, he knew that, it was only for appearance. Catherine was still. He wondered if she had fell asleep, he couldn't see her face. He didn't want to wake her up by checking. Her breath was regular. He guessed she was asleep. He started playing with her hair, running his fingers through it. He loved feeling her so close to him. He loved cuddling with her. He wanted to stay like this forever. The sound of her soft voice surprised him.

"I don't deserve you."

So she wasn't sleeping. And she hadn't said anything.

"What kind of statement is that Cath ? Of course you deserve to have a friend."

Catherine raised her head and looked at the man. His hair was a mess and he was still half-asleep. He looked lovely. 

"Not a friend like you. And shush," she stopped David who was opening his mouth to reply, " I wanna be right."

She smiled, and though it wasn't a complete genuine smile, it warmed David's heart. She sat up, crossed her legs and started staring at him. He missed the feeling of her close boddy immediately, but didn't say anything, because she had that look. This scrutinizing look, examining every inch of his face. Taking this as a game, David did his biggest daft smile and she chuckled.

"You're such a child." she sighed fondly.

"I know.", he smiled even more.

As Catherine kept staring at him for no appearant reason, he decided to enjoy the moment and do the same. He looked at her big blue eyes, her perfect pointy nose, her pale cheeks which began to regain some colour, her small chin, her lips, barely parted, so soft and red ...  
He wasn't smiling anymore, and he was breathless. It was suddenly very hot in the room. His eyes were locked on her lips.

"Catherine ..." he whispered, "Do you mind if I ..."

"No ..." she murmured.

He got closer finding again the feeling of her boddy against his. Catherine's breath was caught in her throat. She saw the man coming. And he kissed her.

His lips were mooving on hers softly and tenderly before she could realise he had done it. She kissed him back, letting out a low moan. His hands cupped her face and she pulled him closer, the closest she could.   
The kiss was gentle. They were discovering each other's taste, they didn't want to rush things. But after a minute, David felt her soft lips parting and her tongue claiming for entrance. He opened his mouth immediately and let her tongue swirl in his mouth. It felt so amazing David saw stars behind his closed eyes.  
He'd wanted to do this for years. And here she was in his arms, kissing him so passionately, her hands traveling his boddy. He broke the kiss just to look at her. The lights in his appartment were low, and they made her ginger hair shine more than usual. Because of the kiss, her lips were red and swollen, she was trying to catch her breath and she looked so dawn hot.   
His Catherine. His gorgeous Catherine. David smiled. She was here for him tonight.

"What is it ?" she asked.

"You look stunning. That's what is."

Catherine blushed at the compliment.

"Oh, shut up." she whispered.

David laughed slightly and put a gentle peck on her lips.

"Make me." he teased.

She raised an eyebrow.

"Right. Then I will stop your mouth."

She pulled him into another kiss and he smiled against her lips. He was the happiest man in the world.

But his name was David, and he always screwed-up everything. Always.  
Catherine was in his arms, they were kissing and his pudding brain decided to tell the truth between two kisses.  
"I love you. God, I love you."

She frozed. He felt her getting suddenly very tensed. She broke the kiss and pulled back.  
"Cath ?"  
She looked so terrified. As if he'd said he wanted to kill someone. But he had only put words on a thing they both knew true. She stood up, looking every where for her coat, until she realised she hadn't taken any. She rushed to the front door and before opening it, she glanced at David. He was looking as shocked as her. But not for the same reasons. She hesitated for a few seconds, then turned back, opened the door and flew into the night. 

David couldn't moove. His heart was broken. And it was so painful. Then he regained the control of his boddy and runned to the door. But too late. There was no one in the street. It was dark and cold.  
A single tear rolled on his cheek. Why ? Why did she fly away ?   
Why did she have to disappear when she was finally his ?

Something cold and white fell in his hair. A flake. For the first time this year, it was snowing.


	2. Alcohol

It was freezing but Catherine didn't care. She was walking the fastest she could, against the cold wind and the flakes.

_" I love you. God I love you."_

These words were playing in her head, again and again. These words which sounded so sincere when they'd been said. These words which should never have been said.

It was painful for her to leave so suddenly. But she'd been weak and she'd let her true feelings show. A bunch of flakes whipped her face. She kept walking.

A part of her wanted to turn back, go to David, kiss him and tell him she loved him too, tell him she'd always loved him. Cuddle with him for the rest of her life, forget guilt, forget blame. Fly to a place where no one could find them, disappear. Be happy. But another part told her that she already had a man, and a daughter, and a family who trusted her. She couldn't aford betraying them. She was a good person. Why did her life have to be that complicated ?

She was going nowhere, and very quickly, she got lost. She was in one of those neighbourhood where every streets look alike. She started getting cold, and although her heart was broken and painful, her frozen fingers really started to hurt. She had to get out of this place and find somewhere where she could warm herself. She backtracked to find her way.

The street was so dark and empty. She looked at the time. 2:45 am. It had been a long time she hadn't walk in London at that time. The houses were all white, covered with snow. Catherine usually loved snow. But not tonight. Tonight, everything seemed pointless, ugly, sad.

In a way, she sould have expected it, but the sight of David's house stopped her. The lights were off. Something else broke in her heart.

" I love you too." she murmured to the night.

She was so close to tears. But she didn't want to cry. She couldn't aford crying or she would never stop. She was defenetely freezing now. So she reluctantly looked away, and started to walk again.

 

Somehow, she found herself in a bar. She must have been really lost in her thought, or really freezing, or really heartbroken to go in one of those awful places. She hated bars. It smelled alcohol, and dirt, and sweat. There were homeless and drunk people who came here when it was too cold outside. Which was the case tonight. Another scary thing was the absence of women and all those eyes staring at her. She felt suddenly very self-conscious. Trying to stay calm, she took a chair at the bar. This place was surely frightning, but for nothinng she wanted to go back in this freezing snow storm.

As she sat, the attention paid to her until now stopped, and men ( because there were only men ) went back to their own occupation (for most of them a beer). The barman who was drying a glass asked her what she wanted.

Catherine never drank alcohol. It was one of her rules, a principle. But on very rare occasions, she would allow herself a drink. This was a very rare occasion. Right now she needed to forget her life. She asked a whisky.

At the very first gulp, she decided whisky was the most disgusting thing ever invented. But she drank the whole glass and asked another. She began to feel tipsy. But she felt better in a way. Her thoughts were in a mess and it became hard to think properly about David. Better. But she wasn't happier though. It was one of those depressed state you are in when you're drunk and sad. She took a third glass. Her head started spinning dangerously. The barman looked at her, concerned.

"What ... what t-time is it ?" Catherine stammered.

The man gave her a worried look.

" 3:15. I think you should go home now miss, before you can't walk."

"Why d'you say miss, do I look single ?!" she exclaimed.

"No ... you don't ... But actually you really look like -" he shooked his head. No, it couldn't be Catherine Tate. Not drunk at 3 am. Though she really looked like her.

"I'm gonna call you a taxi so that you can get home safely." he said gently.

Catherine hid her face in her hands.

"I don't wanna go home." she mumbled.

The barman ignored her and dialled a number on the phone.

"Gimme another glass."

"I think you drank enough for tonight."

The man, thought Catherine in her cloudy mind, was really nice and concerned. But quite annoying at the moment as all she wanted was another whisky.

"Who are you calling ?"

"I told you, a taxi, so that you can go home."

"But I don't wanna go home !" she exclaimed.

The barman sighed.

"Where do you want to go then ? Shall I call your husband ?"

Catherine's eyes widened.

" Oh no ... no no, no I ... I'll go back home alone."

This being said, she stood up, and hesitantly walked towards the door. But she really didn't hold her drinks. She lost her balance and fell on the floor. And after a short moment of stupefaction, she burst into tears. The barman raised his eyebrows. He had never seen alcohol having such an effect on someone. He kneeled in front of her.

"Who do you want me to call ?" he said softly.

Between two hiccups he heard a name. David. He reached her handbag, took her mobile and searched in her phonebook. He found three Davids. But only one without the surname. He looked at the sobbing woman. If you have a friend, you don't write his surname in your phonebook. Because you will always know it's him, and not someboddy else. So with this brilliant logic, the barman decided to call _David_.


	3. Memories

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter a bit late, but here it is :)   
> And I thank my friend the Tiny Prawn for always being here for me xx

David stayed outside until he realised she wouldn't come back. So he went back inside, his hair all wet because of the flakes. He ruffled it absentmindly. His heart seemed to be broken in tiny pieces. Like a vase that would have fallen on the floor. Except you can fix a vase with glue.

He looked at the sofa. It might stay cursed for the rest of his life now. How could he possibly sit there and not think about tonight ?

"Fuck." he whispered.

"Fuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuck !"

He punched the wall with his fist and let out a scream. Whether it was a scream of pain or anger, he didn't know, but it was a very powerful scream. Something was rising in him and he was about to explode. He couldn't breath. He went upstairs, almost running and threw himself on his bed, his face hidden in his pillow. And he yelled. He stayed like that until he calmed down and then, he started crying.

He kept that position for what seemed ages. He had stopped crying, and someone entering the room could have thought he was asleep. But he was completely awake, his brain going hundred miles an hour. The events of the night were playing again and again in his mind. He desperately tried to understand what went wrong. Why she had been in such a panic.

But another idea was nagging him. A scary idea. What if he had misunderstood her behavior ? What if Catherine just kissed him to ... _forget_ ? The pain in his heart got stronger. What did she want ? A good shag ? He hid his face in his pillow. No. There was nothing more painful than that. But in a way, her panicky departure would be fully explained.

David hold his tears back. But the way she looked at him ... She was not such a good actress, was she ? He stood up. He had to check something.

He opened his closet and thoughfully stared at the inside. Where had he hidden it already ? Ah, yeah, up there. He stood on his tip toes and grabbed a brown and old box. There was already dust on it. How could time fly that fast ? He blew to clean it a bit. Dust flew everywhere and made him sneeze. He carefully opened the box, taking as much precautions as if it was a fragile case.

Inside were pictures, tickets of shows, birthday cards and a camera, his old camera. The common point between all those things was Catherine. It was pictures of them, pictures of her, tickets of shows they'd went to see together and birthday cards she'd had sent him during the few years they'd known each other.

He picked one of the picture, holding it as if he was holding his entire life. This one had been taken during Doctor Who's shooting. They were both smiling, and David was looking at Catherine. One of this look that could never lie. Anyone, with that single picture, could have understood the love David had for Catherine. A true love. A painful love.

He picked another picture. This one was older, taken during the first table read, the Runaway Bride's one. On this one, they were absolutely dead laughing. David couldn't remember the joke, but obviously, it was a good one. From the very first moment, they had had a perfect chemistry. No love in his eyes here though. Not yet. At this time, they were just friends. A simple time. In a way, David wished it could still be accurate. Because it would be so much easier.

He took a third picture. This was what he'd been looking for. They were posing for the photo, and David's arm was around Catherine's soulders. He was looking at the objective, but she was looking at him. How could he be unable to read in the eyes of the woman he loved ? Maybe love indeed made him blind. Made him saw what he desperately wanted to see. Because in that look David saw love. A pure love. The love Catherine had _only_ for him.

He sighed and put the pictures back in the box. He didn't understand anything anymore. For him, they'd never crossed the line because of Twig. And Erin. But this night made him rethink his assumption. And he couldn't find a new and decent one but that Catherine did not love him. And he very much hated that.

He sadly looked at his old camera. The one he'd taken on set with him to shut the good moments and backstage of Doctor Who. He had accepted to show most of them to the public. But he kept for himself all the one with Catherine and him. It was basically them cracking jokes, running in the corridors, being dorks and most of all, laughing as much David had ever laughed. These were precious memories for him . And one of the biggest proof of his love for Catherine. Because in front of others, he would hide the love in his eyes, but when it was just the two of them, he let his passion be. And Catherine didn't seem to notice.

He choose a memory card, turned the lights off and took his camera with him. Sitting on his bed, he played the tape. There she was, in her Donna's costume, looking at the camera, looking at him, a smile on her face, her beautiful ginger hair flying around her.

David didn't realise he was crying until he felt tears falling on his hands. The woman on the screen called his name.

"David !"

His stomach dropped. He heard his own voice answering.

"What ?"

"D'you come ?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm coming .."

David touched the screen with a shaky hand.

"I'm always coming with you Cath." he whispered. "Anywhere, anytime. _Always_. "

The tape came to its end. His room became dark. As dark as his own mind. He stayed silent for a long time. And when it seemed his brain was going to shut down in black nightmares, his phone rang.


	4. It can't be denied

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do realise i post this final chapter very very late, so sorry, it wasn't meant to happen like that. Thank you for leaving kudos, it makes me really happy :) I hope you'll like the end.

"Yes ?"

"Hello" said a man's voice, " Are you David ?"

He stood up, eyebrows furrowed. What was it now ? He swallowed hard before answering a hesitant "Yes". His face broke down litlle by little and his lips started shaking as the bloke on the other side of the line kept talking. He didn't reply anythink but some short and useless words, with a tensed and weak voice. Then he hang up.

He stood still for a few seconds, his look lost god knew where, and suddenly made his mind and grabbed his jacket and keys, rushing to the car, still in his slippers.

He got some troubles to find the bar, and when he eventually found himself in front of it, a nasty feeling came nagging the back of his mind. It was a creepy place, dark and durty, stuck between two buildings like a wart that is never leaving, unwelcoming and stinking. What on earth did she come here for ? A bar. Catherine hated bars.

He parked his car and reluctantly went to the door's threshold. He stopped here, his heart racing. He couldn't guess what he'd find behind that old and durty little door. The man did say she needed him, but he wasn't sure what for. He looked at the time. 3:25. This night seemed to never end. He took a deep breath and pushed the wooden door.

The smell of alcohol assaulted his nostrils. The scene he discovered there was less catastrophic than he expected, but still, it hurt. Catherine was here, sitting on a chair, looking painfully miserable. She had been drinking. David knew it. He knew her better than anyone, and thus knew she never drank. She raised her head and their glances crossed. Oh. She had been crying too.

Catherine's heart skipped a few beats. Why was he here ? Her memories were fuzzy, she didn't recall asking for him. But now he was here, and he was looking at her with such sad eyes. She innocently wondered if he had slept, or if his hair was simply defying the usual gravity. She wondered if he had cried, or if his eyes were just red with lack of rest. She wondered if it was the fisrt time he'd looked at her this way, or if she finally spied marks of love in his eyes. She'd been blind, hadn't she ? Her thoughts started drifting, and she felt suddenly very exhausted. That was one of the effect of alcohol.

The barman looked at the two friends. He had this strange feeling he was witnessing a very crucial moment of a complicated and unknown story. He looked at the man still standing on the threshold, David, if he remembered well. Squinting, he wondered if he had drunk something tonight, for the man in front of him really reminded him of David Tennant, y'know, the Doctor Who. He shooked his head. What is it now, you're gonna tell me the drunk man in the corner is John Barrowman ? he thought rolling his eyes. He went back to the scene happening in his bar. He should have filmed it, it was worth a good romantic moovie.

The two characters hadn't mooved yet. David felt like there was a stone in his stomach. He finally decided to make the first step. He got closer to Catherine, and with a second of hesitation, put his hand on her arm.

"Come on Cath. I'm bringing you back." He gently stroked her back, making her shiver.

The alcohol impaired her feelings, and when David helped her to get up, she didn't protest, she simply did what he said. The man she loved led her towards the door. Her head was still spinning and she felt like in a dream. She muttered a incomprehensible goodbye to the barman, who's eyes widened as he looked at the unusual couple those two were making.

No word was spoken during the ride. David was driving silently, glancing at Catherine from time to time, wondering where all this was going. In a common agreement, they went to David's. After all Catherine coudn't come back home completely drunk, especially not after a row.

When they finally got to sit on the sofa (that even more cursed sofa), Catherine said her first words since they'd been gethered.

"David, I ... I just-"

"No, it's alright" he cut her off.

"But I-"

"It's fine, it's fine !"

"I'm ... I'm sorry."

David anxiously gulped. What was to reply ?

"I know."

Catherine shooked her head, still under alcohol's effect, starting to have a strong headache.

"No you don't. You don't know anything Dave."

She reached for his hands and held them tight in hers. "I do have ... strong feelings for you."

"But you ran away." he quickly mumbled not looking at her.

"I did." She closed her eyes. How to focus when you're drunk ? "I was afraid David."

He looked at her with those sad, sad eyes.

"I don't want to loose my best friend." she whispered. "Because he is the most precious thing I have in my life." Her eyes were filled with tears she coudn't contain.

He tilted his head, like a puppy, she thought, whith confused and pleading eyes.

"We could remain friends." he said softly. "People do that you know."

She shooked her head. "You.. You know we couldn't Dave." How could they possibly ? This headache was getting stronger and stronger.

"Don't you wanna try ?" he said with a low voice.

"I can't do that. For my self-respect."

He sighed. He felt stuck, trapped. This was going nowhere near he wanted.

Catherine looked at that man. That man she called her best friend. That man who was so much more. Her soulmate. Her other half. Why was she keeping herself from happiness ?

"But," she quietly resumed, looking down, "I'm positively drunk right now and ... my self-respect might not be exactly the same, so ..."

David was clinging to her words, staring at her, hope coming back to him.

"Yeah ?" he asked with a weak voice.

Catherine opened her mouth to say something. But she suddenly changed her mind and kissed him. To hell her self-respect. Tonight she wanted to be happy. David, amazed, took a few second to kiss her back, brain catching up. Catherine's headache had disappear. She broke the kiss, her hands firmly holdind his face. Looking straight in his pupil, she said it : "I love you, David."

His heart flipped over in his chest. He pulled her by the waist and rested his forehead on hers.

"Promise me you won't run away again." he whispered.

"I'm the Runaway Bride, what do you expect ?" she teased.

He chuckled lightly. "No but seriously. Tell me you won't leave me, never ever."

She smiled gently at him, a spark of sadness in her gaze. "David, I can not live without you."

A weight on his shoulders flew away. Relief spread across his face for a moment, but slowly, his expression changed and lighed up. He smirked playfully.

"Will you come with me upstairs then ?"

She cocked an eyebrow at him. "David, I'm drunk, of course I will."

Seeing the light of succes in his sight, she understood the reply that'd come would be stupid.

"Then, come, I will have thee. But by this light, I take thee for pity."

Catherine laughed and grabbed him by the collar to meet him for a kiss. "Oh shut up." she said against his lips.

He laughed , proud of him, before focusing on the kiss which became heated. Their mouth open and their tongues and teeth clenched in an explosion of flavour. Catherine tasted whisky, David thought. He ran his fingers through her hair, loudly breathing. Then his hand came resting on her waist, while the other one came drawing patterns on her thigh. Her hands were all over his chest, around his neck, on his thighs, on his back, everywhere. He slowly leaned over, Catherine beneath him, tugging on his hair. He let their boddy touch completely, not letting go of his entier weight so that she could still breath. She unsuccesfully tried to say something between two passionate kisses, but his mouth kept her from talking. So, half-laughing, she took his head to block him.

"David, darling, your back." she said panting. She looked up. "You said bedroom !"

He snorted. "I don't have any problem with my back," he lied in bad faith "but well, since you asked, I'll take my ginger godness to the bedroom."

And they indeed went upstairs, to fall together on the bed, eyes locked, breathing synchronized, in love, finally becoming one single person. They woke up together in the light of the early sun. And, smiling at each other, they knew they couldn't deny it anymore. David MacDonald and Catherine Ford were made for each other.


End file.
